PETALING JAYA, 21/3/2024 – On this International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Pusat KOMAS calls for urgent action to dismantle racism and racial discrimination in Malaysia.
In Malaysia, racial discrimination remains a deeply rooted issue, affecting policies, institutions, and daily interactions. From rhetoric in politics to the lack of policies addressing discrimination and hate speech, racism continues to undermine social cohesion. With that said, this is why Pusat KOMAS is launching our Malaysia Racism Report 2024 and “Malaysia Racism Report: A Decade in Review (2015-2024)” – a special ten-year retrospective that highlights key patterns and systemic challenges over the past decade.
Key findings from the 2024 report include:
- Racial politics remain rampant as ever, fuelling division and hate;
- Marginalised communities, including Rohingya refugees, migrants, and indigenous groups continue to face discrimination in education and employment;
- Race-based policies continue to be reinforced, justified and advocated for by sectors within the country, despite calls for more inclusive and sustainable action;
- Social media is still a breeding ground for racist narratives, hate speech, and misinformation, which largely continues to go unchecked.
The analysis of our Racism Reports from the past decade has also garnered interesting insights into the patterns of racism in our nation:
- Racial politics dominated (and continues to dominate) national discourse, often stalling reform efforts;
- Malaysia lacks comprehensive anti discrimination laws and policies despite its many attempts to mainstream conversations;
Upon making these findings, Pusat KOMAS formulated the following recommendations for a more inclusive Malaysia:
- Establish an independent National Harmony Commission to monitor and regulate racial and religious tensions in Malaysia.
- Phase out race-based affirmative action policies for needs-based policies to address social and economic inequalities.
- Establish new laws and policies to improve existing legislation while demanding our institutions such as SUHAKAM, SPR, etc. to have a better focus on racism.
- Institute racial sensitivity training for government and private sector personnel
- Develop media literacy and critical thinking programs in schools to combat misinformation and harmful rhetoric early on.
- Engage with a diverse set of stakeholders (policymakers, CSOs, academia, media etc.) in addressing social cohesion within our society.
Malaysia must not allow racism to fester unchecked. As we mark this day, Pusat KOMAS urges the government, institutions, media, and the public to take concrete steps towards racial justice. Racism is not just a historical blip – it is a present reality that must be confronted with courage and commitment. The reports launched today serve as a wake-up call and a roadmap for change.
Both reports will be available for download on our website.